Sculpture

Bill Woodrow

Twin Tub with Beaver

Bill Woodrow was one of a number of British sculptors to emerge in the late 1970s, his work makes use of discarded consumer goods. Twin Tub with Beaver being an example, an old washing machine and adhesive, 'wood effect' lining paper. Created is a surreal still-life, a bizarre 'incident', whereby the artificial beaver eats out his own form from the artificial wood, revealing the workings of the machine within.

In terms of wider comment, the piece might be said, especially in the ultra consumerist 80s - to be criticising a society too willing to guzzle and throw away rather than savour and reuse.

Woodrow's work is characterised by his use of domestic and urban objects to make sculptures in which the original identity of his materials is still evident. Since the late 1980s he has expanded his range of materials to include welded steel and cast bronze.